Hamburgers, steaks, and sirloins, oh my!

Whenever I tell someone what my job is, they get defensive and respond with something along the lines of “Oh, I’m bad; I sometimes eat hamburgers.” or “Don’t hate me, but I eat red meat.”

Yeah, so do I…

Red meat is not the enemy. There are a lot of different cuts of red meat that can fit into a healthy lifestyle. Not only does red meat fit in a healthy diet, but it provides iron, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, selenium, niacin, and zinc. It is also a great source of high-quality protein. However, to get the most benefits out of red meat consumption you should do a few things:

Make sure to choose a lean cut of meat.

The USDA grading system can help you make your choice – “Prime” cuts contain the highest amount of fat, so try to avoid these. “Select” cuts will be your leanest options of meat.

Grass-fed beef is usually leaner than grain-fed beef.

Limit portion sizes. Be sure to stick to less than 18 ounces per week. Having more than that ups your risk for developing health problems like heart disease and cancer.

While I’m on that subject, limit processed meats (like cured bacon, hot dogs, lunch meat – anything that has nitrates or nitrites in them)! Luckily, it’s easier to find products that are nitrate and nitrite free.

Be careful when cooking meat since it can cause harmful carcinogens (compounds that can cause harm to your body) to form.

Choose lean meats – fat can cause flare-ups that will char the meat

Trim fat from meat before cooking.

Marinate before cooking. Use a lower/no sugar marinade because sugar can also cause flare-ups